Daily
news - 19th November 2018

A new leading alcohol charity has launched today [19 November 2018], with a new name, brand, website and strategy. Alcohol Change UK is formed from the merger of Alcohol Concern (the charity behind Dry January) and Alcohol Research UK. The charity’s mission is to significantly reduce serious alcohol harm in the UK | Alcohol Change UK, UK

While this refreshed review of the evidence from the European Union’s drug misuse monitoring centre has once again come down in favour of safer injecting facilities, the UK Government remains unmoved in its insistence that it has ‘no plans’ and ‘no intentions’ to trial such facilities in Britain. The EU’s experts admit the research is far from conclusive, but resistance to drug consumption rooms has deeper roots than this | Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his Department's Drugs Strategy, published in July 2017, whether a (a) National Recovery Champion and (b) Steering Committee has been appointed; and if he will make a statement | They work for you, UK

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Drug Rehabilitation Requirements with cannabis testing conditions on reducing rates of reoffending | They work for you, UK

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department provides to organisations that support people to stop smoking through the encouragement of the take-up of vaping | They work for you, UK

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October to Question 176664 on Public Health England: Drinkaware Trust, for what reason it was decided that Public Health England would not consult its Alcohol Leadership Board before beginning a partnership with Drinkaware | They work for you, UK

Beer duty is now 18% lower than in 2012, accounting for inflation, according to an Institute of Alcohol Studies analysis of the 2018 Budget. The report – which takes stock of the impact of recent fiscal policy following real terms cuts to alcohol duty for the sixth year out of seven – also found that cider and spirits duty have each fallen by 10%, and wine duty by 2% | IAS, UK

Local agencies still don't fully understand the scale of and risks posed by "county lines" drug running and other forms of child criminal exploitation, and must learn lessons from past child sexual exploitation (CSE) cases if they are to tackle the issue, a report has found | CYPNow, UK

Ronnie, from Glasgow, is a former addict who has used running as a tool to help him towards recovery. Similarly, Iain Murphy has found inspiration through running to help him in his battle with alcohol | BBC, UK

When it comes to drugs, there's an endless supply of myths out there - whether it’s a tale about the best way to take a particular drug, a justification for taking them (even though they’re actually illegal), or a remedy users swear can help combat the after-effects | BBC, UK

On the 31 October Kensington and Chelsea’s Drugs and Alcohol Wellbeing Service (DAWS), delivered in partnership by Turning Point and Blenheim, welcomed a delegation from the Drugs Rehabilitation Association of the Zhejiang province in China | Blenheim, UK

Wed 9 January 2019. 18:00 – 20:30 GMT. University of Manchester. David will talk about how brain science is helping both professionals and patients better understand their mental health problems and is also leading to new treatments. He will use examples from research in anxiety, depression and addictions | British Association for Psychopharmacology, UK

The Greek health ministry is preparing a legislative amendment to permit the opening of drug consumption rooms in Athens, after a university’s claim that it’s overwhelmed by widespread public drug use | Talking Drugs, UK

Exclusive: Suffolk county in Long Island has sued several family members, and Connecticut and New York are considering criminal fraud and racketeering charges against leading family members | Guardian, UK

As a physician who cared for hospitalized cancer patients, I saw first-hand the devastation that smoking-related diseases had wrought on the lives of patients and their families, and dedicated myself to helping ease this suffering | FDA, UK

Nearly all e-cigarette flavorings can no longer be sold in convenience stores or any other brick-and-mortar store except adult-only vaping shops, according to new regulations announced by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb this week | Forbes, USA

Cannabis inches closer to mainstream acceptance every day. Through legalization efforts, rebranding, and medical patients of various walks of life, old and negative attitudes toward cannabis have faded | The Fresh Toast, USA

Marijuana in Canada is now legal, and while the change is unlikely to have a significant impact on Latin America’s black market, it could trigger a shift towards more progressive international drug policies | Open Democracy, USA

Relatively little is known about factors that may lead to the development of a substance use disorder (SUD), across a range of drug classes. This study aimed to identify factors that predict the likelihood of transition from use to SUD and the speed with which this may occur at the population level, with a focus on the impact of pre-existing mental disorders | DAD, Australia

The aim of this document is to provide a relatively simple summary of the various models for the decriminalisation of personal use/possession of illicit drugs. We take current Australian laws as our starting point, and describe four possible models with reference to Australia. Nonetheless this work is also relevant for other countries | UNSW, Australia

Latest news including: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern refused to sign up to President Trump’s War on Drugs statement at the United Nations General Assembly last month. We applaud her for that stand, but her position – that drugs should be treated as a health issue – must be demonstrated with real action back... | NZDF, New Zealand

I regularly receive emails and phone calls that poignantly illuminate the stigma and discrimination people can face as they make the journey through addiction to recovery and a life of purpose and meaning | William White Papers, USA

The Food and Drug Administration may be a scientific agency, but that doesn’t mean it always lives up to medical science. Too often it makes the wrong call on products that might exacerbate problems facing our country, such as the opioid epidemic | Washington Post opinion, USA

I had a medical marijuana card for nearly two years before I worked up the nerve to buy legal weed. Living in laid-back Vermont, I had access to a friend’s homegrown herb, which my husband used to make me cannabis-infused coconut butter in the family Crock-Pot | Washington Post, USA

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